Well and method of sinking



fl a, 9, 1924.

W. H. CATER WELL AND METHOD OF SINKING Filed June 25 w w J 4:. position, a wall of.

Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

umrso STATES,

PATENT 'IOFFICE'.

wmnreun, carnn, or cmca eo, rumors wnLr. m union or smxme.

Application filed June 28, 1928. Serial N'o. 647,264.

specification.

My invention concerns novel means and 10 methods for sinking wellsan'd completing their production in such a way that their contents will be free' from the possibility of contamination or pollution by the entrance or seepage thereinto of foul or impure surlli-face water. V: The invention aims to close or seal the well hole through the ground around the screen or casing to a depth sufiicient to assure the maintenance of the well water in pure condition. .To this end, such passage or cavity in the ground is filled with a material, for exr ample clay, to a depth down into or through a water impervious stratum in the groundfor example, as an underlying, layer of r Zccordingly, the well-screen or apertured cassilplgkwhich lines the actual well passe e or driven down in the usual or we to known manner, but through a cavity or recow in the ground near the surface and lined 'with a snpplemental'water-tight casing ,or

' shell surrounding the upper part only 0 the well-screen', such cavity and outer s ell ex- {Ii a distance down into the groun into or through such clay stratum.

the laterportion of the wellscreen operation, clay or othersuitable, practi ywater-tight,sealingmaterial .40 is introduced into the space between the top of the well-screen and the shell and ed down gradually .with the former, ad-' ditional clay being as required so that when the screen h reached its 'final I fappmpriate material'will fill the cavity between the screen andshell and extend downward from the surface ofthe earth intoor'through such clay layerv or stratum. or downward driving of, the

V wellscreen causes the removal of more or clay or other;

ing it, and this is progressivel replaced by inserting gravel, stones, or ot er relatively coarse material which forms substantial voids, thus tendmg to keep the perforations of the screen frpmbecoming clogged.

The introduction of the clay or other sealin material into the cavity at the top would, u ess especial-means were provided, prevent the further or continuedifilling in of such surrounding gravel, but this clay seal or stopper or plug is desirably supplied with one or more upright pipes extended therethrough through which the coarse outer material may be fed down until no further quantity is" needed whereupon these pipes or tubes are filled with concrete or other water-proof material whereby the well is eifectively sealed or closed against the seep age thereinto of polluted or impure-surface water.

In order that those skilled in this art may have a full and complete understanding of this invention both from. its structural and functional effects, in the accompanying drawing forming a part-of this specification and throughout the several views of which like reference characters refer to the same t parts, I have illustrated a desirable and preferred embodiment oftheinvention, but 1t is to be understood that the latter is susceptible of a varietyof embodiments difi'ering more or less from that herein presented.

In this drawing:

Fi e 1 is a vertical, sectional view showing t e well partly completed and indicating the well-screen as onlyxpart way driven or sunkintothe ground;

Figure 2 is a s1m1l' ar viewillustrating the ,comp eted well;

Figure 3 isa top plan view of the finished well; and

F' s4 is a perspective view ,of one only of a pair of clay retaining elements used in the'driving of the well. u 4

In the cross-section of the earth or ground as depicted-in 1 and 2, 11 is the top layer which may be-of sandy loamfor example, 12 is a stratum of clay,' 13 is another form .of difierent material, such as hard pan, 14 is a bed or In. ing sand and gravel, an 15 may be bed ,of the line ascend, surroundrock.

m- '-of water bear- Before the driving of the well properbegins, an outer, imperforate metal or other water-tight shell or casin 16, open at both ends is sunk in the ground a sufficient depth to extend through the water-impervious layer of clay 12, such "cylindrical or angular wall constitutin alining forthe corrwponding cavity and forming a shield or barrier against any surface water obtaining entrance to the well shaft through the hole through the clay stratum and the top layer which is more or less porous and hence capable of permitting surface water to drain through it.

Then the well-screen 17 apertured or perforated as shown, and its lower foot or shoe 18 is sunk or forced down in the usual way by means of the employment of the customary pump (not shown) within the screen, the latter by reasbn of suitable pressure or weight applied thereto descending gradually step by step in a well-known manner,

Such sinking or driving of the well causes the removal of more or less of the fine material, such as sand, surrounding the perforated or apertured screen by the action of the water, and to fill up such annular space gravel or the like coarse material 19 with substantial voids is fed thereto through the circular aperture or hole between the screen and the enclosing or surrounding shell.

When the screen has thus been sunk to a depth so that its further descent will equal approximately the combined thicknesses of the two strata 11 and 12, then two, substantially semi-circular retainers or closures 21,

21 are fitted around and on opposite sides of the screen and caused to descend with it, the

annular space above them being filled progressively with clay or similar practically water-tight material.

As these members move down with the screen clay or the equivalent material is added so that by the time they reach [the bottom of the clay stratum 12, the whole casin 16 around the screenwill be filled with such sealing; material.

v and, to this end, each such equipped with a vertical It .is necessary or desirable to continue feeding or admitting gravel orstones to the space around the screen below the'clay layer after the members 21 have been inserted, member, is pipe 'or upright conduit 22 extended therethrough and up to or. above the top of the ground, and through these as occasion requires, the gravel is introduced to the cavity below to compensate for the removal of the finer material.

= When the curved parts or; members 21, 21

have completed their descent to their final or ultimate"positionsdndicated in Figure 2,

I they are anchored against further downward movement by bars or retainers 23 clamped to their upper ends and of sufficient or adethrough the passagebelow Leia 89o quate length to rest on the surface of the ground surrounding the well as shown in Fi 1re3.

iter the last char es of such gravelor other coarse material have been introduced into or through the upright pipes or conduits 22, the latter are filled or sealed with concrete or equivalent material to assure. that no contamination or pollution can occur such as by the descent through them of foul or unclean surface water, which if permitted would find access to the water in the. well-screen through its perforations or slots.

The undesirable or dangerous surface water cannot find access to the underlying strata in the earth through the clay layer 12 which prevents passage of water through it.

Also due to the presence of the shell 16 it 'pass down between the inner surface of such outer shell or ,wall and the upper imperforate portion of the well-screen, because this space is e'fi'ectively closed or sealed or plugged by the clay'stopper or closure betweenthem and the concrete filled ipes.

Thus the improved well results in assurance that its water will be derived solely from the stratiun or strata below the clay layer and this is certain to be free from contamination or defilement by reason of objectionable or dangerous surface water finding access or seepage into the screen.

It is to be understood that this invention is susceptible of many changes or modifications over those features presented herein in detail and many changes may be made in the embodiment, without" departure from the heart andessence of the invention and without the sacrifice of any of its substantial benefits and advantages.

1 c aim:

1. The method of sinking a well consisting in removing the earth to a depth throu h a stratum of clay, lining the upright wa s of such cavity with a water-proof shell, sinking a well-screen through such cavity inside of said shell, inserting claybetween said shell and screen leaving apassage therethrough and causing such inserted clay to descend with the screen, feeding coarse niaterial the inserted material, and finally sealing said passage with water-tight material. 7

2. The method of sinking a well consisting in removing the earth to a depth at least into a stratum substantially impervious "to the seepage of water therethrough, lining the upright walls of such cavity with n.

inserted material to descend with the screen, feeding coarse material through the. passage of said inserted material below the latter, and finally sealing said passage with watertight material.

3. The method of sinking a well consist- .ing in removing the earth downwardly from the Surface to a depth at least into a stratum substantially impervious to the seepage of water therethrough, lining the upright walls of such cavity with a water-proof shell,

sinking a well-screen through such cavity inside of said shell, progressively introducing coarse material around the outside of said well-screen throughthe annularspace between said lining and well;screen, durin the latter portion of the sinking of sai well-screen inserting a material practically into a stratum substantially impervious to the seepage of water therethrough, lining the upright walls of such cavity with a water-proof shell, sinking a well-screen progressively through such cavity inside of said shell, and progressively filling the space in said cavity between said outer shell and said well-screen during the latter portion of seepage of Water therethrou'gh,

the well-screen sinking operation with a sealing material practically impermeable to water, the descent of the screen causing the downward travel of such sealing material.

5. The method of sinking a well consisting in removing the earth downwardly from the surface to a. depth at least into a a stratum substantially impervious to the sinking a well-screen progressively t rough such cavity, and progressively filling the space in said cavity around said well-screen during the latter portion of the well-screen sinking operationxwith. a sealing material practically impermeable to water, the (le scent of the screen causing the downward travel of such sealing material.

6. A well comprising in combination, :a

perforated Well-screen sunk in the earth, an outer shell sunk in the earth from the surface of the latter to a depth at least into a stratum substantially impervious to the WILLIAM H. OATER. [L. s.] 

